Recently, many folks have expressed how hard it is to find balance in our world today. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when turning on the news, looking at the headlines, or listening to the conversations around you, which may lead to feelings of doubt, division, anger, along with a growing lack of care for one another... The answer may begin by remembering where true strength can be found - attending Mass each week,... Faith does not promise that life will be easy or that uncertainty will disappear... BUT IT CAN STEADY OUR OWN HEARTS...

Congratulations to two amazing parishioners who have earned special recognition, Kathi Nash, from Saint Catherine of Siena-Saint Lucy and Saint Giles Parish and, Marilyn Foster, from Ascension and Saint Edmund Parish! On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the Cardinal presented each of them with a 2026 Christifideles Award during a special ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral... There are so many in our communities who embody the spirit of this award. You know who you are and I offer my gratitude and thanks...

What a gift it is to reach a hundred years of age! And what a gift it is to have someone in your life who reminds you that growing older is not simply about counting the years - it is about seeing what those years have taught us. Last weekend I flew to Phoenix for the weekend to celebrate the 100th birthday of a woman who was a former cook for me and became a friend, Alice... Some of life’s greatest gifts are the ones that never go out of style: FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP, and a PLACE AT THE TABLE...

Religious life is a particularly beautiful expression of that call. Sisters, brothers, and religious priests give their lives in a unique way to prayer, community, service, education care of the poor, missionary work, and the proclamation of the Gospel... Yet there is another important issue that we cannot ignore. In 2026, the Catholic tradition continues to teach and hold that priestly ordination is reserved to men... The DIGNITY OF BAPTISM belongs equally to women and men...

This past week, the Church invited us to celebrate two important memorials: the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14 and Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15... On the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we look upon the cross of Jesus and recognize that what appeared to be a symbol of defeat became the instrument of our salvation... Mary stands beneath the cross of her Son. She cannot take away Jesus’ suffering. She cannot change what is happening... These two memories belong together...

Labor Day has come and gone, and somehow it feels as though summer has passed almost as quickly as it arrived... TIME IS A GIFT NOT SOMETHING WE POSSESS... Autumn also teaches us about LETTING GO... Labor Day also reminds us that our value is not found in our accomplishments. We can become so busy working or serving, caring for others, and meeting our responsibilities that we forget a simple truth: before we do anything for God, WE ARE ALREADY LOVED BY GOD...

Think about what legacy we will leave behind, and what Dolly Parton can teach us about giving. Her recent passing reminds us that a person’s legacy is about much more than what they accomplish for themselves... There is a lesson here for all of us. It is not necessary to be wealthy to be generous. We can give money, certainly, but we can also give our time, our attention, our talents, our encouragement, and our prayers... Dolly Parton’s example invites us to ask a better question. “WHOSE LIFE WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE I WAS HERE?”...

This weekend marks the beginning of the 100th anniversary celebration of Saint Giles Church and Campus... From the rich histories and traditions of Saint Edmund, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Lucy, Ascension, and Saint Giles, two new communities have emerged. That does not mean that the histories of our individual parishes disappear. Quite the opposite. WE CARRY THAT HISTORY WITH US... The story is not ending. New chapters are beginning, and we are blessed to be writing them together...

Lately it seems that we have been hearing about severe storms, damaging tornados, earthquakes, flooding, or one natural disaster after another. When these events seem to come as often as they have recently, it is understandable to wonder: IS GOD TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING?... Faith does not promise we will never encounter storms. Faith promises we do not face them alone... So instead of only asking, “Why is God allowing this to happen?”, possibly we should also ask...

A new school year is about to begin, and our streets, sidewalks, schools, and homes become much busier again... Safety is another important part of caring for our communities... The children and young people returning to school are not simply “someone else’s kids.”... The start of a new season in school is an opportunity for all of us to practice what Jesus teaches: LOVE ONE ANOTHER... Sometimes that love looks quite simple - a smile, holding a door, yielding the right of way, or patiently waiting our turn...

Last week, I had the opportunity to take some time away and spend six days with my two brothers, their wives and a couple of good friends... That is why the summer offers us a gift. It reminds us that God created us not only to work, but also to rest. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to quiet places to pray... Whether it is a week away, an afternoon on the porch, a walk through the park, or simply sitting quietly with the Lord at home or in Church; let yourself be renewed...

I have done some reflection on one of our more recent gospel stories and lessons from Jesus, Growing the Wheat Together. One of the greatest temptations in any community is to focus on the weeds... We bring different traditions, different histories, different ways of doing things, and different expectations. At times it can be tempting to compare, criticize, or become discouraged... Jesus asks us, “What kind of disciples are you becoming?”...

This time of year, usually around this time, I ask myself, where is the summer going? I just heard my first commercial about going back to school, and it’s mid-July!... Summer invites us to enjoy God’s creation, spend time with family and friends, travel, rest, and make memories. Those moments are important. They renew us... With vacations, weekend trips, sporting events, and family gatherings, it is easy for Sunday Mass to be considered optional. Yet the Eucharist is not another item on our schedule...

Today the Catholic Church is facing a significant challenge; the shortage of men entering the seminary and women answering the call to religious life... But there is another question worth asking ourselves. HAVE WE EVER ASKED ANYONE?... For many priests and religious, the first spark of their vocation came because someone asked them... Perhaps the Holy Spirit is calling someone you know, and your invitation might just be the gentle nudge they need to begin asking, “Lord, what do you want me to do with my life?”...

The effort for you to attend Saturday or Sunday weekend Mass matters... Saturday evening or Sunday worship is much more than fulfilling an obligation... The choices we make during the week are shaped by what shapes our hearts... We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can change the atmosphere in our own homes... Children learn what matters by what their parents make a priority... As each weekend approaches, keep making worship your priority...

Happy 4th of July to all! As our nation marks 250 years of independence, we pause to give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy as Americans... As we look across our country today, we see both great promise and significant challenges... At the same time there are signs of hope... Let us try to implement these simple but challenging suggestions for our community’s sake and that of the country as well... Be sure to include our nation in your daily prayers and be an instrument of peace...

Last week three hundred and ten of our Archdiocesan Priests and I spent three and a half days together for our convocation at the Grand Geneva in Wisconsin. One of the conversations that captured our attention was when Cardinal Cupich spoke about the future of our Church in Chicago... The question before us was not “what should we do?” but rather “Where is the Holy Spirit leading us?”... Where is the Holy Spirit Leading us, and how can we walk faithfully into that future?​...

This weekend we celebrate both Juneteenth and Father’s Day while hearing Jesus’ powerful words in the gospel: “Do not be afraid.”... In the Gospel, Jesus encourages his disciples not to be afraid of the difficulties they will encounter. Instead, He reminds them that they are precious in God’s sight: “Even all the hairs on your head are counted.” God’s love gives us the courage to stand for what is right, to speak the truth, and to live as faithful disciples...

June is the time of transitions for priests moving to new assignments... After six years of dedicated service to the Ascension and Saint Edmund community, Father Rex will be leaving us... At the same time, we welcome Father Michael Novick, who will serve as Pastoral Moderator at Ascension and Saint Edmund Parish beginning July 1... All are invited to the beginning summer concert in the courtyard at Saint Giles campus next Friday June 19, at 7:30 PM...

Today’s Feast of Corpus Christ and our last two major liturgical celebrations, The Holy Trinity and Pentecost, have been celebrated at a providential time as our parishes continue the journey of unification and renewal... At Pentecost, the disciples gathered together facing an uncertain future... The Feast of the Holy Trinity, celebrated just last week, reminds us that God’s very nature is communion... That brings us to today’s Feast of Corpus Christi celebrating Christ’s enduring presence among us in the Eucharist...